One Step At A Time
by nadeshikofan
Summary: A series of Persona 3 and maybe Persona 4 drabbles. In/Complete. All In The Past: "I want you to kill me," his friend had outright told him, under normal circumstances, would he have done such a thing if they were strangers? Yes, perhaps he would… and in the end, the decision was his and his alone, and not one person could undo such a choice, after all, it was the same in the end.


This will be a series of drabbles concerning Persona 3. The length of each story will vary between 1,000 - 5,000+ words (since they're drabbles, they'll be fairly short). Also, I do not own Persona 3 (and if I ever mention it,) or Persona 4. I'm fairly certain that ATLUS owns Persona. OCs (if ever mentioned) belongs to me.

Disclaimer:** Any similarities to characters, settings, scripts, actual schools, or stories from other pieces of literature or media are coincidental.**

AU: Normal; Twins (?) AU

Genre: Friendship | Family | Hurt/Comfort

Pairings: (if you squint) Suggested Akihiko x Female MC; Family Male x Female MC; otherwise, no pairings.

Warnings:

• Character death

* * *

All In The Past: "I want you to kill me," his friend had outright told him, under normal circumstances, would he have done such a thing if they were strangers? Yes, perhaps he would… and in the end, the decision was his and his alone, and not one person could undo such a choice, after all, it was the same in the end.

* * *

_"I want you to kill me."_

_He didn't want to kill his friend. If he were to kill his friend; that would mean that they would be admitting defeat to Nyx. That would mean that everyone he loves and cares for would be dead. He won't kill him nor would he let any of his friends die even if his other friends are worried they'll lose._

_It was then that he realized what might happen to him if he were to go kill Nyx. But it didn't matter what happened to him, he thinks. All that matters the most is that his friends live even if they might hate him in the end._

* * *

_He began to feel drowsy as of late. He didn't know why since he forgot… but at the same time… he had a vague idea of what happened months ago._

_Eventually, he remembered on his own. It seemed odd… how no one seemed to have remembered. It was as if things had gone to the way they were before—before fighting shadows. Only this time, he was slightly closer to them; they trusted him with their secrets. His friends talked, but their confusion was proof they didn't remember._

_Ever since fighting Nyx had ended, and the apathy syndrome was nothing too problematic, he felt like smiling. It was quite an accomplishment; save the world, patch up relationships, give others resolve, help them through the difficulties in life albeit temporarily. He was glad to be there for them, to be their friend._

_Though he accepted this outcome, he was beginning to feel colder and colder as the school year was coming to an end, everyday seemed to be more exhausting to wake up to, and it was getting more difficult to continue on._

_On the day of graduation, it was only then that he realized how much time seemed to have passed until that moment._

_As he lay in Aegis's lap, he feels like crying for the first time in several years. But he doesn't, instead he has a ghost of a smile, hearing the hurried footsteps of his friends who shout and exclaim as they advance towards the rooftop. He drifts off, thankful that he can hear his friends before his eternal sleep arrives at last…_

_…Aegis __**thought**__ he said __**sorry**__ when he closed his eyes…_

* * *

"Thank you," the brunette said to the silver-headed male politely as he had shown her where the graveyard would be found.

When she first arrived to Iwatodai, she managed to get herself lost trying to find a graveyard, much to her disbelief. She felt ashamed of herself; she had lived in the very place as a young girl and to think she could remember the Paulownia Mall and the train station, the shrine, and even the Moonlit Bridge, yet she couldn't remember where the graveyard _was_.

The young silver-haired man had shown her where the graveyard would be after she had tripped and lost the map she had been holding, resulting in her asking the very man who had helped her stand up. He was kind enough to not laugh at her and was even willing to help her. Though it made her feel uncomfortable, she was receiving glares from other girls roughly around her age and she hadn't the slightest idea why.

She suspected that it had to do with the man being a _bit_ handsome she had to admit.

After she thanked the young man once again, the two had parted ways. That had been an hour or two ago and she was still here at the graveyard. Throughout the entire time she had been there, she remained silent, motionless, and didn't dare do anything but stare at the gravestone.

Finally, she falls down to her knees and smiles sullenly, a small tear forms as she speaks to the gravestone in a forced cheerful tone of voice that not many people notice so easily. As she placed the incense, she takes out an offering and places it near the grave. Reality was harsh, she knows; and she begins to finally cry as she realizes that she can never see him again.

She wipes away her tears, tears that she's tried so hard to conceal, and laughs bitterly and quietly. She covers both her eyes and tries to stop the now overflowing tears. She couldn't stop them; the more she tried to wipe them away, the more the tears reappear.

She had last seen him before he had made the decision to move to Iwatodai and attend school from there. She found it odd when he didn't visit her during the summer and winter, nor send even one mail or even call; they were nearly inseparable until they grew to a certain age. She regrets not being able to be with him in his last moments or even attend his funeral that she knew nothing of until recently when almost an entire year had passed. She regrets not being able to be there for him when he needed her back then. They were siblings after all… so why wasn't she there for him…?

* * *

Within another half an hour, she finally managed to stop crying. She tugged her black cap down to cover her red eyes again and she stands up. Brushing the dirt off of the back of her white skirt, she decides to leave in case she has yet another emotional breakdown.

As she was about to walk away she opens up the simple black compact and stares into the mirror. She frowns a bit in contrast with her usual smile. Her face was neutral as she stared into the mirror and she closes it with a loud _click_. She and her brother never did look the same, but when he smiled or when she frowned, you could see the resemblance between the two…

Starting now, she wonders if she should've turned back. To take back her decision to stay. She knows she couldn't possibly do that. She had already made her decision.

She is on the verge of crying yet again when she sees a group of people walking in the direction of her brother's grave, where she was close to. She recognizes the silver-haired man from before and he does too, seeing that his friends looked at him before noticing her.

She smiles politely as they walked towards her. His friends say something, and he seemed irritated at his friend in the baseball cap's words as they reach her.

"You're still here?" the silver-haired man blinked.

_"Thank you again,"_ she said with a smile as she looks up at him.

"Whoa! You have red eyes!" the guy with the baseball cap exclaimed in shock.

_"Who would want a traumatized seven year old and a kid with demon eyes!?"_

_"What should we do? I don't want to take care of those troublesome twins…"_

_"I couldn't possibly take care of those two…"_

_"Just look at them, she's actually smiling as if nothing happened and he can't say anything about what happened! I wouldn't want a heartless girl like that nor would I want a traumatized kid!"_

"Junpei, don't be rude!" the brunette hissed, glaring at who she presumed to be the baseball-capped man.

"Hey, I just thought they were cool!" Junpei exclaimed irritably. "Sheesh…"

_"Look at you lot!" an old man had growled. "You say you're sorry for them, but you can't even keep your word that nothing bad will happen! They will only grow up horribly if you can't even-"_

"I'm sorry about him," the girl with what seemed to be teal-colored hair apologized. "I'm Fuuka Yamagishi."

She grumbled distastefully as she shot Junpei a glare before smiling kindly to her. "My name is Yukari Takeba; it's nice to meet you."

"Junpei Iori," he muttered.

"I am Aegis, and this is Koromaru."

"Ken Amada," the boy grumbled, feeling that he should introduce himself as well.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Mitsuru Kirijo," the woman with red hair had smiled and she was honestly surprised to meet _the_ Mitsuru Kirijo.

"We met before," the man said politely. "I'm Akihiko Sanada."

As she introduced herself, she had a feeling that they knew her brother judging from the evident shock written on their faces…

_"My name is Minako Arisato; I'll be attending my 3__rd__ year at Gekkoukan High School as a transfer. It's nice to meet you."_

Yes… she'll always miss her brother. She feels like crying even now, but she won't anymore. Not until she finds out what happened to her family…


End file.
